Illuminated wreath



Deg, 2, 1924.

w. A. McCLELLAND ILLUMINATED WREATH Filed Dec. 11, 1923 Patented Dec. 2,1924.

.mreo STATES PATENT WILLIS-A. MQCLELLAND, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ILLUMINATED WREA'IH.

Application filed December 11, 1923. Serial No. 679,992.

R or branches of any suitable variety of tree,

or of a suitable plant, such as Lycopodium, which may be dyed so as toretain a fresh green appearance, the said wreath being provided withilluminating means.

Further, to provide a wreath of suitable material, having a flatring-like back of wood or of pasteboard, upon which is mounted aplurality of incandescent lamp sockets,

which may be electrically connected in either series or parallel, as maybe desired, said sockets being either miniature, candelabra, or standardbase, andbeing fitted with lamps ota single coloror of a'variety ofcolors, which project forward through the wreath, the feed wires torthelamps being of ample length, and being provided with the usual style ofplug for connection with an electric light socket.

These objects are accomplished by the character of wreath illustrated inthe ac companying drawings, in which:

' Figure 1 is a front view of a wreath constructed in accordance with myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a front View of the ring-like backing to which the wreath issecured, and showing lamp sockets thereon, which are electricallyconnected in series.

Fig. 3 is a view in diagram and on a smaller scale, of the ring shown inFigure 2, and showing the lamp sockets connected in parallel. And

Fig. 4 is a sectional view-dull size-of one of the lamp sockets.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

The numeral 1 indicates a fiat ring-like member, of any desireddiameter, which may be made of pasteboard or of wood, or of any othersuitable light material, and which forms the backing for the wreath.Upon this ring are secured a plurality of equidistant incandescent lampsockets, eight of such sockets being shown in the drawings. Each socketcomprises a circular base 2 of non-conducting material, such asporcelain, WlllCh is secured to the ring by screws, as shown, and. whichis provided with a socket member 3, in which is fitted the usualthreaded shell/1, in which is screwed the plug portion of the lamp. Theshell 4 is formed with a terminal strip 5, which projects laterally fromits lower end and which extends out through an opening 6 in the socketmemher, and a binding screw 7 passes through this terminal and enters athreaded hole in the base 2.

A non-conducting washer 8 is seated in the bottom of the shell 4, andrests upon an inwardly projecting'fiange of the said shell, and a screw9 passes through the washer 8 and through a hole in the base and into athreaded hole in a terminal strip 10, which is seated in a recess in thebase, the outer end portion of said strip passing up" through an openingin the base and resting upon the base, as clearly shown in Figure 4. Abinding screw 11 passes through a hole in the terminal strip 10 and intoa threaded hole in the base 2, and the recess in the base, in which thestrip is seated, is filled with a suitable cement 12 to prevent contactwith the ends of the screws 9 and 11 and with the terminal strip 10.Thus the screw 9 forms a contact for one of the lamp terminals, and theshell 4 acontactfor the other lamp terminal, as will be understood. Whenthe lamp sockets are arranged in series, as shown in Figure 2, aconductor wire 13 extends from the terminal 5 of the first socket of thegroup, to the terminal 10 of the second socket, and on from one socketto the next succeeding socket in this manner, until the last socket isreached. A feed wire 14: is connected to the terminal 5 of thelastsocket, and extends through a hole 15 in the ring 1, and a feed wire16 is connected with the terminal 10 of the first socket, and alsopasses through the hole 15 in the ring 1, and these feed wires may be ofany required length, and their free ends are connected in the usualmanner to a common form of plug 17 for connection with an ordinary'lampsocket. 1

When connecting the sockets in parallel, as shown in the diagram, Fi ure3, a wire 18 is connected to the terminal 5 of the first socket of thegroup and to the terminal 5' of each succeeding socket until the lastsocket is reached, and from the terminal 5 of the last socket the wireis passed when they 2 season, when wreaths are in ing the wreath,

through the hole 15 in the ring 1, as shown. A wire 19 is then connectedto all of the terminals 10 of the sockets, beginning-with the firstsocket, and from the terminal 10 5 of the last socket the wire 19 ispassed 10 The wires are connected to the terminal strips 10 by thebinding screws 11, and to the terminal strips 5, by the binding screws'7. Eight lamps are when they are to be connected in series; but areconnected in parallel, any desired number may be employed, but inconnection with a transformer. The lamps may be of any' type, and of asingle color or of a variety of colors.

The wreath proper 20, is preferably made of sprigs of some tree or plantof the evergreen variety, and preferably of a'variety of plant known asLycopodium, such varieties being appropriate to the Christmas generaldemand,

and when the latter variety of plant is employed, it is preferably dyedgreen in order that the freshness of color may be retained for anindefinite period. In formsprigs of this plant'are arranged in closeoverlapping order upon the ring 1, so as to entirely conceal the ring,and to form an unbroken circle, which shall have a uniform appearancethroughout;

the stem portions being securely fastened to the ring in any suitablemanner. In connection with the wreath, tificial representation of asuitable flower 21, preferably the flower of shrub known 40 aspoinsettia, which is a popular Christmas in the ring, and the preferablyemployed I employ an ar flower, and these flowers are arranged atregular intervals and so as not to hide the lamps. I have shown three ofthese flowers on the wreath illustrated in Fi ure 1, but any desirednumber may be emp oyed.

A wreath of the character described makes a beautiful and appropriateChristmas decoration,-and is particularly effective when placed inwindows. In practice, the wreath is hung at any desired point, and theplug 17 at the end of the feed wires is screwed into a nearby lampsocket, whereby electric current may be supplied to the lampsilluminating the wreath, by night.

A wreath of this character is not only attractive in appearance by day,but it also possesses the added attraction of an illuminated wreath bynight.

Having described myinvention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. A wreath of the character described, having a flat, stiff,non-conducting ring-like backing, lamp sockets on. said backing, wiresconnecting said lamps in circuit, and feed wires connected to said lampcircuitwires, and adapted to be connected with an electric currentsource.

2. A wreath comprising a flat annular backing of non-conductingmaterial, lamp sockets mounted on the backing and electrica'llyinterconnected, and floral material secured upon the backing forming thewreath.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIS A. MCCLELLAND.- Witnesses:

G. SARcEN'r-E LIorr, ELIZABETH

